Easel.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

No. 875,220. I

. SMITH.

EASEL.

APPLICATION FILED 0 OT.4,1906.

jvwawto 1m: Nome: PETERS :0. WASHINGTON, u. c

WALTON DUANE SMITH,

OF PROPI-IETSTOWN, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JULIUS II. TASGHER, OF PROPHETS'IOWN, ILLINOIS.

EASEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed October 4. 1906. Serial No. 337,442.

and useful Easel, of which the following specification.

The invention relates to improvements in easels.

and State of Illinois, have invented a new I provide a simple, inexpensive and eflicient device designed for displaying various kinds of merchandise in show windows, on counters, in show cases, and other places, and adapted to support an article in an inclined position and permit the same to rest upon the counter, or other supporting surface, whereby the easel will be relieved of the weight of the article displayed to permit a relatively light easel to support a relatively heavy article.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an easel of this character, constructed independently of the article displayed and adapted to be held in place by the Weight of the same, and. capable of being compactly folded for shipment.

With these and ther objects in view, the

invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claim, may be out departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

40 In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a perspective view of an easel, constructed in accordance with this invention, and provided with a flexible foldable foot. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the flexible foldable foot being shown extended in full lines and folded in dotted lines.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the front supporting member of an easel, designed to be constructed of paper, paste board, or any other suitable material and provided with a foldable rear member 2. displaying various articles of merchandise in resorted to with-- The easel, which is designed for r is a l are connected at an intermediate point The object of the present invention is to hinge connection 3 improve the construction of easels, and to paper,

show windows, show cases, on counters and various other places, is constructed independently of the article to be displayed, and the front and rear oppositely inclined. members 1 and 2 are hinged at the top at 3, argd Y a foldable brace or connecting piece 4, which is secured at its ends 5 and 6 to the inner faces of the front and rear members. The may consist of a piece of cloth, leather, or any other suitable material, and any other form of hinge joint may be employed to suit the character of easel to be constructed. The intermediate connecting piece is provided with a central crease or bend 7, which enables the said con necting piece to fold downwardly between the front and rear members, when the easel is folded.

The easel is provided at the lower end of the front inclined member 1 with a forwardly projecting foot 8, adapted to receive the article to be displayed and permit the same i to rest upon the counter, or other supporting surface, whereby the easel is relieved of the direct weight of the article, By this arrangement the easel is not only held in position by the wei ht of the article displayed, but, by being reilieved of the direct weight of the article, it may be constructed of light, inexpensive material, and a relatively light easel is adapted to support a relatively heavy article at an inclination. This will enable easels to be cheaply constructed, but the easel may be ornamented in any desired manner and may be constructed of any desired size and strength.

The foot 8 is provided at its outer portion with a shoulder 9, and forms a catch for retaining the article in engagement with the foot. The shoulder may be formed by a strip 10, secured to'the upper face of the foot by folding the outer edge of the foot inward over the strip and securin the parts together by adhesive niateria. The flexible footis foldable against the front or outer face of the inclined member 1 of the easel, to enable the parts to be compactly arranged for shipping or storing. This form of foot may be constructed of any suitable material such as cloth, paper, leather and the like, and the inner or rear portion of the material may be secured to the lower end of the front member in any preferred manner and by any suitable means.

Having thus fully described my invention, In testimony, that I claim the foregoing What I claim as new and desire to secure by as my own, I have hereto aflixed my slgna- 10 Letters Paltent, is :01 h f M M f ture in the presence of two Witnesses.

An ease rovide Wit a 0 a e oot 5 constructed ot flexible material and pro- WALTON DUANE SMITH vided at its outer portion With a strip form- Witnesses: in a shoulder and secured to the foot Within F. L. ADAMS, a :%old of the flexible material. D. H. ELLISON. 

